THE GRADUAL INTERNATIONALIZATION PROCESS OF PORTUGUESE COMPANIES DESPITE AN URGENCY TO EXPORT AND INTERNATIONALIZE: ADAPTING TO LOCAL MARKETS AND BEING OPEN TO CHANGE

This research sought to answer the following question: What are the international strategic practices currently being adopted by Portuguese companies, so that they, in the midst of a much publicized internal economic crisis, may triumph in international markets? Internationalization strategies are of paramount importance to companies from small countries and which are undergoing an economic crisis, such as is the case of Portugal, at the time of writing. According to Sune Carlson, international firm strategies advance according to trial-and-error and by gradually acquiring relevant market information. This rationale was the basis for the very popular Uppsala internationalization process model. Is this currently true also for Portuguese companies, or are they forced to accelerate the process due to rapidly declining domestic markets, occurring in the midst of harsh austerity measures? The study thus involved four case studies and qualitative research. Present in diverse international markets, the case companies chosen carefully plan the whole spectrum of internationalization activities in which they are involved, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. We conclude that the gradual internationalization process, described in the literature, is being followed by Portuguese companies, despite an additional urgency to export and internationalize, in view of diminishing domestic markets.